History of Salt Lake City, Part 46

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194

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" Brigham Young may be a shrewd business man, an able organizer of labor, a bold brave person in dealing with all the practicalities of life,-he must, indeed, be all of these for we see the evidence all around this city and country ; but he is in no sense an impressive or effective preacher, judging by any standard that I have been accustomed to. His audience, swollen by one or two thousand more, could not have helped drawing a sharp contrast,-dull in comprehension and fanatically devoted to him as most of them probably are,-between his speech and his style, and those of Mr. Colfax, who at a later hour this evening, delivered in the same place, by invitation of the church and city authorities, his Chicago eulogy on the Life and Principles of President Lincoln. He spoke it without notes, and with much freedom to an audience unused to so effective and eloquent a style, and more unused, we fear, to such sentiments ; and he received rapt at- tention and apparently delighted approval throughout the whole."

But, if the Colfax party was greatly disgusted with Brigham's sermon of that Sabbath morning, the " unusual numbers" of " his elders and bishops around him " were as greatly amused by Brigham's signal failure. It was the talk of the following week, among some of his friends, that the President, on the Sunday, had treated Speaker Colfax and party to the worst sermon he had ever preached.

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HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

They were " glad of it," they said. " The Lord intended to read his servant Brigham a lesson." " The Lord didn't want him to show off before the Speaker of Congress." There was considerable common sense in this view of the matter which the Saints took, and though at first, perhaps, somewhat disappointed with himself probably the "Prophet Brigham " appreciated the "Lord's lesson " to him in the same spirit -- glad that he had not been allowed to show off before the Speaker of the House.

Brigham Young and Schuyler Colfax were measured that day by two dif- ferent standards : the one was a great colonizer, and already the founder of a hundred cities; the other the eloquent Speaker of the House of Representatives. This is the only salient point of the "sharp contrast " between Brigham's bungling sermon on Mormonism, and Colfax's magnificent "eulogy on the Life and Prin- ciples of President Lincoln."

But the chief subject of interest, of that time as well as of all times, till the peculiar and distinguishing marriage institution of the Mormons shall have been either reformed or more firmly established, was brought up between Mr. Colfax and his party, as representative of the Nation, and President Young and the apostles, as representative of the Mormon Church, in their second interview on the Saturday when Mr. Colfax and his companions called upon President Young at his office. Mr. Bowles is the most proper person to relate the conversation. He wrote :

" Mr. Colfax and his friends have also had two long interviews with Brigham Young and other leaders of the Church, in one of which the peculiar institution of the people was freely and frankly but most earnestly discussed by all.

" The conversation I have alluded to with Brigham Young and some of his elders, on this subject of polygamy, was introduced by his enquiry of Mr. Colfax what the Government and the people East proposed to do with it and them, now they had got rid of the slavery question. The Speaker replied that he had no authority to speak for the Government; but for himself, he might be permitted to make the suggestion, he had hoped the Prophets of the Church would have a new revelation on the subject, which should put a stop to the practice. He added, further, he hoped that, as the people of Missouri and Maryland, without waiting for the action of the general government against slavery, themselves believing it to be wrong and an impediment to their prosperity, had taken measures to abolish it, so he hoped the people of the Mormon Church would see that polygamy was a hindrance and not a help, and move for its abandonment. Mr. Young responded quickly and frankly that he should readily welcome such a revelation ; that polyg- amy was not in the original book of the Mormons; that it was not an essential practice in the Church, but only a privilege and a duty, under special command of God; that he knew it had been abused ; that people had entered into polyg- amy who ought not to have done so, and against his protestation and advice. At the same time, he defended the practice as having biblical authority, and as having, within proper limits, a sound moral and philosophical reason and propriety.

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"The discussion, thus opened, grew general and sharp, though very good natured. * *

"In the course of the discussion, Mr. Young asked, suppose polygamy is given up, will not your government then demand more,-will it not war upon the Book of the Mormons, and attack our church organization ? The reply was emphatically, No, that it had no right, and could have no justification to do so, and that we had no idea there would be any disposition in that direction.

"The talk, which was said to be the freest and frankest ever known on that subject in that presence, ended pleasantly, but with the full expression, on the part of Mr. Colfax and his friends, of their hope that the polygamic question might be removed from existence, and thus all objection to the admission of Utah as a State be taken away ; but that until it was, no such admission was possible, and that the government could not continue to look indifferently upon the en- largement of so offensive a practice. And not only what Mr. Young said, but his whole manner left us with the impression that, if public opinion and the govern- ment united vigorously, but at the same time discreetly, to press the question, ' there would be found some way to acquiesce in the demand and change the prac- tice of the present fathers of the church."

Still more important than this conversation, as a connecting vein of history, is the exposition of the Colfax closet views and forecast of national policy con- cerning the Mormons and their institutions-views and policy matured while on this very visit to Salt Lake City, next quickly infused into the public mind on his return East, and finally brought into sharp administrative action, when he became Vice-President of the United States. And what is exceedingly significant is that, when this exposition and forecast of Mr. Colfax's views and national policy was sent to the American public, in Mr. Bowle's last letter from Salt Lake City to the Springfield Republican, the expectation was that Schuyler Colfax would be the next President of the United States -- the regular "successor of Abraham Lincoln" after Andrew Johnson had filled the unexpired term. In the dedication of his " Across the Continent," to the then prospective President of the United States, Mr. Bowles said. " Besides the book is more yours than mine ;" so the following from the same letter, which relates the conversation with Brigham Young on polygamy, may be read as from Mr. Colfax himself on Utah policy.

"The result of the whole experience has been to increase my appreciation of the value of their material progress and development to the nation ; to evoke con- gratulations to them and to the country for the wealth they have created and the order, frugality, morality and industry that have been organized in ! this remote spot in our Continent ; to excite wonder at the perfection of their Church sys- tem, the extent of its ramifications, the sweep of its influence ; and to enlarge my respect for the personal sincerity and character of many of the leaders in the organization ; also, and on the other hand, to deepen my disgust at their polyg- amy, and strengthen my convictions of its barbaric and degrading influences. They have tried it and practiced it under the most favorable circumstances, per- haps under the mildest forms possible, but now, as before, here as elsewhere, it tends to and means only the degradation of woman. By it and under it, she be- comes simply the servant and serf, not the companion and equal of man ; and the inevitable influence of this upon society need not be depicted.

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" But I find that Mormonism is not necessarily polygamy ; that the one began and existed many years without the other ; that not all the Mormons accept the doctrine, and not one-fourth, perhaps not one-eighth, practice it; and that the nation and its government may oppose it and punish it without at all interfering with the existence of he Mormon Church, or justly being held as interfering with the religious liberty that is the basis of all our institutions. This distinction has not been sufficiently understood heretofore, and it has not been consistently acted upon by either the government or the public of the East. Here, by the people, who are coming in to enjoy the opportunities of the country for trade and mining, and there by our rulers at Washington and by the great public, this single issue of polygamy should be pressed home upon the Mormon Church, -discreetly and with tact, with law and with argument and appeal, but with firmness and power.

" Ultimately, of course, before the influences of emigration, civilization and our democratic habits, an organization so aristocratic and autocratic as the Mor- mon Church now is must modify its rule ; it must compete with other sects and take its chances with them. And its most aristocratic and uncivilized incident or feature of plurality of wives must fall first and completely before contact with the rest of the world, -marshalled with mails, daily papers, railroads and telegraphs -ciphering out the fact that the men and women of the world are about equally divided, and applying to the Mormon patriarchs the democratic principle of equal and exact justice. Nothing can save this feature of Mormonism but a new flight and a more complete isolation. A kingdom in the sea, entirely its own, could only perpetuate it ; and thither even, commerce and democracy would ultimately follow it. The click of the telegraph and the roll of the overland stages are its death-rattle now; the first whistle of the locomotive will sound its requiem ; and the pickaxe of the miner will dig its grave. Squatter sovereignty will speedily settle the question, even if the Government continues to coquette and humor it, as it has done.

" But the Government should no longer hold a doubtful or divided position towards this great crime of the Mormon Church. Declaring clearly both its want of power and disinclination to interfere at all with the Church organization as such, or with the latter's influence over its followers, assuring and guaranteeing to it all the liberty and freedom that other religious sects hold and enjoy, the Government should still, as clearly, and distinctly, declare, by all its action, and all its representatives here, that this feature of polygamy, not properly or neces- sarily a part of the religion of the Mormons, is a crime by the common law of the Nation, and that any cases of its extension will be prosecuted and punished as such. Now half or two-thirds the Federal officers in the Territory are polyg- amists ; and others bear no testimony against it. These should give way to men who, otherwise equally Mormons it may be, still are neither polygamists nor be- lievers in the practice of polygamy. No employees or contractors of the Gov- ernment should be polygamists in theory or practice.

" Here the Government should take its stand, calmly, quietly, but firmly, giving its moral support and countenance, and its physical support if necessary to the large class of Mormons who are not polygamists, to missionaries and preachers of all other sects, who choose to come here, and erect their standards

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and invite followers ; and to that growing public opinion, here and elsewhere, which is accumulating its inexorable force against an institution which has not inaptly been termed a twin barbarism with slavery. There is no need and no danger of physical conflict growing up; only a hot and unwise zeal and impatience on the part of the Government representatives, and in the com- mand of the troops stationed here, could precipitate that. The probability is, that, upon such a demonstration by the Government, as I have suggested, the leaders of the Church would receive new light on the subject themselves, perhaps have a fresh revelation, and abandon the objectionable feature in their polity. No matter if they did not-it would soon, under the influences now rapidly aggre- gating, and thus reinforced by the Government, abandon them.

" In this way, all violent conflict would, I believe, be successfully avoided ; and all this valuable population and its industries and wealth may be retained in place and to the Nation, without waste. Let them continue to be Mormons, if they choose, so long as they are not polygamists. They may be ignorant and fanatical, and imposed upon and swindled even by their church leaders ; but they are industrious, thriving, and more comfortable than, on an average, they have ever been before in the homes from which they came hither ; and there is no law against fanaticism and bigotry and religious charlatanry. All these evils of relig- ious benightment are not original in Utah, and they will work out their own cure here as they have elsewhere in our land. We must have patience with the present, and possibly forgiveness for supposed crimes in the past by their leaders, because we have heretofore failed to meet the issues promptly and clearly and have shared, by our consent and protection to their authors, in the alleged wrongs."

In closing his letters from Salt Lake City Mr. Bowles gives a very notable adieu to our city :

" But adieu to Salt Lake and many-wive-and-much-children-dom ; its straw- berries and roses ; its rare hospitality ; its white crowned peaks ; its wide spread valley; its river of scriptural name; its lake of briniest taste. I have met much to admire, many to respect, worshipped deep before its nature,-found only one thing to condemn. I shall want to come again when the railroad can bring me and that blot is gone."

During the visit of the Colfax party to our city, Governor James Duane Doty died, whereupon the following order was issued by the city authorities :

" MAYOR'S OFFICE, GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, June 14th, 1865.

" Whereas, intelligence has reached me of the sudden death of Governor James Duane Doty, who departed this life on the 13th inst., at 9 o'clock,

" Therefore, in token of respect for the dead, I do hereby request that all secular business in the city be suspended; that all business houses be closed, and that the flags be draped at half-mast until after the funeral ceremonies.

By order of A. O. SMOOT, Mayor.

J. C. LITTLE, Marshal.

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HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

On Thursday morning, June 15th. at ten o'clock, the citizens assembled in large numbers around the residence of the late governor of Utah, and punctually the ostentatious funeral service was performed by the Rev. Norman McLeod be- fore the corpse left the house. The coffin was carried to the hearse by the Hon. Schuyler Colfax, Governor Bross, Chief Justice Titus, Associate Justice Drake, Superintendent Irish, and U. S. Marshal Gibbs. The carriages of the citizens and families of the military command formed in a long procession, and moved northward, thence east by South Temple Street, preceded by the Provost Guard and the military band to the cemetery at Camp Douglass. " All business was sus- pended in the city, the flags at half-mast were draped in crape, drooping in the air, while the unusual sombre clouds lent a sadness to the scene that faithfully de- picted the heart-felt sadness of the people."

About two weeks later the Honorable Jas. M. Ashley, of Ohio, then chair- man of the Committee on Territories, visited Salt Lake City. President Brigham Young met the gentleman frankly, and in the parlor of Delegate Hooper there was a free conversation upon the probable future relations between the Govern- ment and the Mormons. The first question from Brigham was: Well, Mr. Ash- ley, are you, also, going to recommend us to get a new revelation to abolish po- lygamy, or what are you going to do with us? " Now, Mr. President, I don't know what we can do with you. Your situa- tion reminds me of an experience of Tom Corwin. In the days of Tom's poverty, somewhere in Ohio, he thought he would hang out a lawyer's shingle and catch a share of business. One day a smart fellow solicited his legal services; he wanted Tom to defend him, and proposed to give him a fee of fifty dollars. That was a big sum to Tom then; but when he heard the situation of his client he stated that he was under professional obligations to say he could be of no service to him. The client insisted that Tom should make a speech in court, and that was all he wanted. The case came on: the evidence was clear, witnesses had seen the prisoner steal some hams, carry them to a house, and there the hams were found in the client's possession. It was a clear case of theft, the evidence was incontestible, and the prosecutor thought it needless to address the jury. The defendant, however, insisted that Tom should make his speech. A brilliant effort was made, the jury retired, and in a few minutes returned with a verdict of 'not guilty." The judge, the prosecutor and Tom were perfectly confounded. They glanced at each other a look of in- quiry. Nothing more could be done, and the prisoner was discharged. As they retired from the court the lawyer said to the thief : 'Now old fellow, I want you to tell me how that was done ! ' ' Your speech did it,' was the reply. 'No, it didn't and I want to know how you did it?' 'Well, if you will not speak of it till I get out of the State, I shall tell you.' Tom accorded to this, and in perfect confi- dence his client whispered : 'Well, eleven of the jurors had some of the ham.' "

Brigham roared and laughed. It was Mr. Ashley's pleasant insinuation that with a Mormon jury the institution was perfectly secure. The story is told by T. B. H. Stenhouse who was present at the interview between the Mormon President and the chairman of the Committee on Territories.

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HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

CHAPTER XL.

BEGINNING OF THE ANTI-MORMON CRUSADE. THE CHANGE IN THE COLFAX VIEWS. INITIAL OF THE ACTION AGAINST THE UTAH MILITIA. URGING THE ADMINISTRATION. CORRECTED VIEWS CONCERNING THE MILITIA.

Out of this Colfax visit to Salt Lake City directly grew what the Mormons call the crusades against their religion, or as Chief Justice James B. McKean de- scribed it, the prosecution of " Polygamic Theocracy." It began immediately on the return of the Colfax party from their tour of investigation of the Great West, first in the agitation of the public mind by the speeches and expositions of Speaker Colfax relative to the Pacific States and Territories, in which polygamic Utah came in constantly for a sharp and special treatment. Until this Colfax movement commenced to stir up the Nation upon Utah affairs, there had been no " crusade " of the Government and Congress against Mormon polygamy. In the causes presented to Congress by the Buchanan administration, for the sending out of the Utah Expedition, polygamy was not even named. General Winfield Scott, in issuing his orders to General W. S. Harney, named the specific cause : -" "The community and, in part, the civil government of Utah Territory are in a state of substantial rebellion against the laws and authority of the United States." Neither had the action of the Government against polygamy entered into the early differences between the Gentile part of the Federal officers and the Mormon community, though Judge Brocchus did offensively rebuke in their pub- lic assembly, the community relative to their polygamic institutions. It was not until the Grant-Colfax administration that Government took any action at all against Utah, touching polygamy. It is true there had been the passage of the anti-polygamic law by Congress in 1862 ; but it was generally understood to be in- operative and as a dead letter on our statute books. Indeed the Senators from California-Latham and McDougall-voted against the passage of the bill, -Mc- Dougall opposing it in a speech in which he said, "I do not think the measure at this time is well advised. It is understood its provisions will be a dead letter on our statute book. Its provisions will be either ignored or avoided.

* The impolicy of its present passage will cause my colleague and self, after consul- tation, to vote against the bill." And a year after the passage of that bill, though President Lincoln signed it, he sent private word, as already noted, to Ex-Gov- ernor Young concerning the Mormon polygamists with this assurance : " I will let them alone if they will let me alone."

But with the return of Speaker Colfax, from his visit of observation of the Pacific States and Territories, the plan and policy over Utah affairs was entirely changed from a dead letter to a live action, and Government itself became the prime mover against polygamic Utah, until finally it grew into an administrative and congressional " crusade " against them as a religious community. This was inspired by Mr. Colfax and sustained by President Grant with all the determina-

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tion of the man who had conquered secession in the South, and finished with the sword what President Lincoln had begun in his proclamation abolishing slavery.

Brigham Young's inquiry of Mr. Colfax as to " what the Government and people of the East proposed to do with polygamy and the Mormons, now that they had got rid of the slavery question," was a most pertinent question. It was substantially the same enquiry which met Mr. Colfax everywhere on his return to the Eastern States with his expositions and policy relative to the Pacific States and Territories. All his speeches dealt with Utah consonant with the foregoing ex- positions of views and policy contained in Mr. Bowles' closing Salt Lake letter.

The warm genuine hospitality which Salt Lake City had extended to Mr. Colfax and his friends ; the admiration expressed by ail touching what the Mor- mons had done in these once desert places, and their value as a community to the Nation ; and, above all, the free and cordial interviews and conversations which took place between the Colfax party and Brigham and his friends, seemed to promise a happy union between the general Government and the Mormon leaders, in the adjustment of the affairs in question. But, when on his return from the West, to speak with a permitted national voice of its affairs, the enquiry which Brigham Young had put came sharply from the public, " what does the Nation in- tend to do with the Mormons and polygamy, now it has got rid of the slavery question ?" Mr Colfax was carried away from the possible adjustment, which he might at a later date have effected with the leaders of the Mormon church, when he became as Vice-President the actual dictator of the Government on Utah affairs.

In sending out his book, " Across the Continent," dedicated to Mr. Colfax, Mr. Bowles strongly marks this change which had taken place in a few months. both in the minds of the Mormon leaders and in the policies and intentions of Mr. Colfax. In his supplementary papers he wrote :

"Since our visit to Utah in June, the leaders among the Mormons have re- pudiated their professions of loyalty to the Government, denied any disposition to yield the issue of polygamy, and begun to preach anew, and more vigorously than ever, disrespect and defiance to the authority of the National Government. They seem to be disappointed and irate that their personal attentions and assur- ances to Mr. Colfax and his friends did not win for them more tolerance of their peculiar institution, and something like espousal of their desire for admission as a State of the Union. New means are taken to organize and drill the militia of the Territory and to provide them with arms, under the auspices and authority of the Mormon Church; and an open conflict with the representatives of the Gov- ernment is apparently braved, even threatened.

" Much of this demonstration is probably mere bravado ; means to arouse the ignorant people, excite them against the Government, make them still more the fanatical followers of the Church leaders, and also to intimidate the public authorities, and induce them to continue the same let-alone and indulgent policy that has been the rule at Washington for so long. The Government always seems to have demonstrated just enough against the Mormons to irritate them and keep them compact and prepared to resist it, but never enough to make them really afraid, or to force them into any submissive steps. The bristling attitude of the Saints has ever had the apparent effect to qualify the Government purpose, and

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History of Salt Lake City, Part 46

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194